Bihar elections 2025: RJD fields 143 candidates amid Mahagathbandhan seat-sharing rift

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday formally announced its candidate list for the Bihar Assembly Election 2025, fielding contenders on 143 seats. The release comes after prolonged seat-sharing disputes within the Mahagathbandhan alliance and marks a reduction by one seat compared to the 2020 election, when the party contested 144 seats. 

The official list was published on the last day available for nominations in the second phase of polling. The Bihar elections are set for November 6 and 11, with results scheduled for November 14.

Party symbols had already been distributed to RJD candidates even before the official list became public, indicating the party’s preparation amid ongoing alliance negotiations. The Mahagathbandhan has struggled to reach a final seat-sharing agreement, and the RJD’s move to proceed signals a significant development against the backdrop of unresolved talks with the Congress.

Key candidates for the RJD include Tejashwi Yadav contesting from Raghopur, Chandra Shekhar from Madhepura, Veena Devi (wife of Surabhan) from Mokama, and Uday Narayan Chaudhary from Jhajha. 

The Congress, meanwhile, announced a further six names on Monday, bringing its declared list to 60 candidates. According to the updated Congress list, nominees include Surendra Prasad Kushwaha for Valmiki Nagar and Abidur Rehman for Araria among others. The Congress had also released its earlier lists over several days, with notable names such as state unit chief Rajesh Ram and CLP leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan among the first batch. 

Both RJD and Congress continued allocating party symbols, a procedural step indicating their intent to field candidates regardless of finalised seat-sharing.

Internal dissatisfaction has surfaced within the Mahagathbandhan, as "disgruntled aspirants in both the RJD and Congress accused the leadership of putting tickets up for sale," highlighting tensions as nominations closed. The formal announcement of candidate lists took place as the window for filing nomination papers for the second and final phase ended on Monday.